I AM the Football Star

Chapter 425: Chapter 120: Group of Death? Bring Out My Italian Cannon! (13k-Word Major Chapter) (Part 5)

If adjustments were made, but players fail to coordinate well or misunderstand their positions, it might backfire.

For instance, when exactly should Cortino drop back? How deep should the drop be?

How far should Lam extend? Will this cause a gap between him and the dropping Cortino due to overextension?

Only Lu Yang’s vision and big-picture perspective can position him at the right spot, bridging the defense without leaving any gaps, even when teammates have differing interpretations of positioning.

In the next twenty minutes, Italy Team’s front-field ball control tactics gradually stabilized.

The Poland Team players frequently pressed forward, but it was challenging to block Italy’s midfield passing routes, and they were continually outmaneuvered, draining their enthusiasm and energy. So, they simply contracted their formation, focusing on counterattacks.

As a result, Morici had an exceptionally conducive environment for ball control.

Italy Team launched a total of four threatening attacks.

Twice from the left wing, once from the right wing, and once through a combination between Morici and Lu Yang in the middle.

Unfortunately, they all fell short of scoring due to a lack of luck.

As for the Poland Team, they had two counterattack opportunities.

But one was directly extinguished by Lu Yang during his chase back, and the other was thwarted by Lam’s timely intervention.

Overall, the Italy Team became unrecognizable to many viewers.

Is this the same Italy Team that was dismantled by Spain in the previous match?

This... feels really strong!

Bear in mind, this performance closely mirrors that of England’s match against Poland.

Back then, the visual impression of England’s defense was not as stable as the Italy Team appears now!

This is incredible!

....

In two matches separated by days, the general view of Italy shifted from having a shoddy defense to having a defense as solid as Mount Tai!

Italy has never changed any of their defensive players.

Isn’t that magical?

Actually, Italy’s defensive line in this European Youth Championship isn’t at the top level, but it’s definitely not lacking.

Left-back Nikluci is valued at Five million euros.

Lam is valued at Seven Million.

Pirola is valued at Three million euros but is considered stronger.

Canyes is valued at 11 million euros.

Cortino is valued at Seven Million.

The total value of the five defenders is as high as 33 million euros!

And the players of the Italy National Youth Team, generally speaking, aren’t bad. They are underestimated mainly because Italy has been weak on the international stage for a long time, and this time they faced disruptions with sudden coaching and player changes.

The lineup is such that apart from not matching England and Spain, they can definitely compete with Germany, France, Portugal, and Belgium.

Oh, by the way, Lu Yang’s value is Four million euros, which is related to his rumored injury, as his fragility worries everyone.

Morici is only worth Five million, largely due to his injury last season.

However, Lu Yang and Morici’s buyout clauses are both set at Ten million euros, far exceeding the market’s valuation of them.

Of course, their salaries also far exceed the average salary corresponding to their market value.

Fun fact, before Mancini’s transfer, Lu Yang was the highest-paid player in this European Youth Championship!

Until recently, when Mancini’s transfer to Barcelona was revealed, it was reported his salary reached Five million euros, placing him among Europe’s top tier!

Moreover, Real Madrid’s Enriquez, the top candidate for the Golden Boy Award, only earns about 1.5 million euros.

Morici’s salary of 1.2 million euros ranks fourth, a solid figure.

Currently, Poland’s top striker Pavovsky ranks fifth with a salary of One million euros; obviously, such ”youth wages” can’t match Pavovsky’s caliber.

The same situation applies to Italy Team’s left winger Sevajos, who is very likely to transfer next year. Once he moves to the Premier League or La Liga, his salary won’t likely be below 2.5 million euros.

Excluding the special contracts of Lu Yang and Morici, in terms of both market value and salary level, Italy can be considered a second-tier team.

But before the match, Italy was categorized by various media as a bottom-tier team.

After the first match, this perception was even more pronounced.

So, this match against Poland has become a proof battle for all the Italy players.

....

Match Commentator: ”We can see that Lu Yang’s condition is much better than we expected. He’s performing excellently, not at all like someone who recently suffered severe injury.”

”Perhaps it’s time we discuss just how extraordinary Lu Yang’s physical condition is. As we all know, Lu Yang’s injury was supposed to require at least half a year for recovery, yet now, he seems to defy expectations.”

”Perhaps this is why Sofia was so resolute in choosing Lu!”

Many fans smiled faintly at the commentator’s words.

The implication was subtle but clear.

But to some expert fans, has Lu Yang truly fully recovered?

This still remains questionable.

In truth, whether in novels, anime, movies, or real life, after recovering from serious injuries, individuals often refrain from overusing the injured part for quite a period.